7/19 - 7/25 a solid week

Mon 8mi 7:40 pace with 5x200 strides
Tues 6.2 fast as hell. Showed up late to the run, ran all out to try and catch the group Hit the 1st mile in 6:10 and then hammered the next 1.5 miles all uphill to make the turnaround in 15:20, a minute and a half faster than I ever have. I caught the group at 3 miles and was supprised they had started over 6 minutes ahead of me running the usual 7:50 pace. I don't think I am in as bad a shape as I thought, at least for the short stuff.
Wed 0
Thur 6.2 on time 47:55 drills after, highknee,butt kicks,fast feet, skipping
Fri 0
Sat 8.5 7:30 pace with 5x200 strides
Sun 13.5 double loop from farm 7:35 pace
Total 42 miles year=1131.5
Sat

week 1 July 12 -18

mon 0
Tues 6.2 , group 48:50
wed 0
thur 6.2 , grop 48:20
fri 7 mi ran the 1st 3 at 7:10 pace then overheated badly, you would think working in the heat all day I would be acclimated but I struggled home at 8+/mi
Sat 0
Sun 10 miles 7:45 pace, felt ok but 10 was the limit of my fitness
Total 30 year = 1089.5

I had hoped for a little more this week but the heat killed me.

Stops...Starts

The last 11 weeks of falling out of shape



25,41,39,21,10,22,11,40,12,5.5,10.5, year = 1059.5



After a very stressful spring on the farm I am finally ready to resume training. I have lost all fitness and gained 12 lbs in the process, putting me a full 20 lbs over when I set most of my Pr's 20 years ago. It is very frustrating to have been in such great shape only to loose it so quick. I don't know how many more chances I will get at bringing down some Pr's, but my focus will be on running Baystate this fall. I feel great and well... rested at least.

3 weeks of Training????

Week of 4/5-4/11
Mon 8 mi @ 6:55/mi
Tues 7 mi easy
Wed 5 mi. goal 6x 1mile @5:50 with 2min rest. 5:45(2:00) then my heart rate suddenly jumped to max and I couln't get it to come down. I had to stop the workout and did a full 800 jog/walk to calm it down. I am not sure what happened, this has happened to me a few times over the last 20 years while running and swimming, and I need to remember to ask my doctor on my next yearly physical. I drink way too much cafein, and I hope this is all it is.
Thur off
Fri 13.5 mi, I decided to try wednesday's workout again...in the rain and running in lane 2 on the turns because of puddles. 5:50(2:00)5:45(1:59)5:46(2:00)5:44(2:01)5:44(2:00)5:40 I jogged a 300 on the rests and felt real smooth. I could have been running even faster, given the extra distance on the turns.
Sat 6.5 easy
Sun 11 mi, did 8 miles at 6:20 pace. A sort of progression run starting at 6:40 and finishing sub 6. then 3 easy
Total 51 miles year =897
4/12-4/18
Mon 5 easy
Tues 6.2 JA loop 48:30
Wed 0 work
Thur 0
Fri 00
Sat 000
Sun 0000
total 11 year 908
4/19 - 4/25
Mon 8mi 7:20 pace
Tues 6.2 JA loop 45:40
Wed 0
Thur 00
Fri 000
Sat 0000
Sun00000
Total 14 mi year=922
I am extreamly frustrated with the last 2 weeks. Mid April is the start of Corn planting for me and the first 10 acres (out of 80) are the most stressful. I can not concentrate on anything else until I get this done. I need to get several pieces of equipment ready and fields ready. All the planting equipment is so specialized that I am the only one who can fix and adjust it, so I can not delegate any of it...Its all on me. I will have all of this done by Today so hopefully I can now move forward with my training, although I have no idea what to do now; Go back to base training or try to pick up the plan where I left off. I guess just getting back to running is a step in the right direction and will help with my general mental attitude. I am sure anyone who has been around me the last few weeks can attest to...I have been a bear to be around.

Training 3/22-4/4

Mon 3/22 off , sick
Tues 0 sick
Wed 0, still coughing up large chunks of lungs
Thur 3 slow and easy
fri 6 easy
sat 0
sun 8.5 easy
Total 24.5 rough week

Mon 3/29, 8 mi then 2 strides
Tues 0 fields flooding again
Wed 5 mi 6:55 pace
Thur 13+ Doyle field track. goal 6x1mile @6:00 w/2:00 jog rest
6:00(1:58)5:56(2:00)5:58(2:00)5:56(2:00)5:50 did all the rest in a full 400. Was supposed to be easy and it was. I was fully recovered after 1 min. finally starting to feel good after the head cold from hell!
Fri 8 mi 7:45/mi
Sat 10.5 mi , goal 20 min hard tempo. 3.5 w/u, 3.5 c/d, did the 20 minutes at 5:55 pace
Sun 6.5 easy, bloated after easter dinner
Total 51 miles year =846

Got a shiny new training plan from Nate, which will carry me through Baystate. I am really excited to get on to the next phase of my training after a disapointing last 6 weeks. I will now focus more on my workouts than mileage, although I hope to average 60-70 for the rest of the year. I also hope to race a bit more if I can fit it in. I think it will help me race better if I get a better feel for it.

Week ending 3/21, Stinker in New Bedford

Well another race I could not wait to get to all winter, the New Bedford Half Marathon. After just 2 miles, I couldn't wait to get home. Last year I ran my 1st Half Marathon here and did fairly well (1:19:18) and was really looking forward to running sub 6 for the whole thing this year. I woke up with a slightly sore throat and some congestion, but didn't think it would be a big deal, the course is flat and you don't max out up any hills. After the 2 mile mark (11:56) I was already off last year by 30 seconds and starting to lose people fast and furious. I could not take a deep breath and my legs felt tight and sore. I thought hard about just stopping but wasn't quite sure how many Masters runners we had in the race, so I jogged on to the finish while being passed by roughly 300 people. I am not too concerned because I know I am in better shape than last year, although I have been in a funk since mid february. I am a little worried that this congestion may be from my allergies that I have seem to developed late in life. (a farmer with allergies is not good) I usually struggle with them in April, and this seems a little early. I hope they are not getting worse and I can find some meds that work to help me when I am running.
Mon 2 miles , spent most of the day watching the farm's epic flood
Tues 6.2 JA loop easy 48:30
Wed 7.5 Doyle field, 2.5 w/u then 3 hard on the track 17:25 last 200 in 35, 2 w/d , felt a little stiff and akward.
Thur am 6 JA easy
pm 6 miles to move tractor
Fri 3.5 easy
Sat 7.5 mi to move tractor, then probably 2 miles sprinting up and down my street, teaching my daughter to ride a bike. Her expression when she finally got it, was awesome. It was one of those moments in life that make me thankful to be a dad!
Sun 16+ , 3 mi w/u, New Bedford stinker in 1:31:45, no need to warm down.
Total 55 miles Year = 770.5

week ending 3/14, Lost in the Flood

Mon 11 mi Ran to pick up my Loader and stopped at Doyle Field for the 1st time this year. Lane 1 was the only one fully clear of snow. Did 2 miles on the track with 6x150 strides and last quater in 74.
Tues 6.2 JA loop 47:30 with grp
Wed 15+, goal 4x 2mile w/3:00 rest at Half marathon pace. Felt like crap 4 mile w/u then 11:47(3:00)11:45(2:56)11:54, really was not feeling great today but was suprised to be 48 seconds faster than last July when I did the same workout, 2.5 w/d
Thur am 6.2 JA loop 42:56. fastest we have ever run this as a group (I have done 41:26 solo)
PM 6.5 easy with cooper
Fri 6 treadmill home sick with my daughter, both with head colds
Sat 12.5 in cold cold rain, coughing up technicolor spitballs along the way
Sun 6.5 could not do any more in the cold miserable rain
Total 69 miles year=715.5
I had some great pictures of the biggest flood to hit our farm since 1987, but the bonehead that I am, I forgot to put the memory card in the camera!